Car-step.



D. F. LEMON.

GAB. STEP.

APPLIoAIIoN FILED 001218, 190e.

950,334. Patented Feb.22, 1910.

vtUlTED STATE@ /XTENT OFFGE.

DOCK FRANKLIN LEMON, F BARDLEY, MISSOURI.

CAR-STEP.

To all wlan/m it may concern:

Be it known that I, Doon FaANkLiN LnnoN, a citizen ot the United States, re siding at Bardley, in the county ot Ripley and State ot' Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ca1--`-teps, ot which the following is a specitieation.

This invention relates to railway car steps and pertains especially to devices Vl'or operat ing a supplemental or auxiliary step in connection with the usual steps.

rthe object ot' the invention 'is to provide novel and peculiar' means for moving a supplemental step into and out of position rela tive to the usual car steps.

A further object ot the invention is to provide such mechanism as will slide a suppleniental step in the same plane with ordinary ear steps so that the supplemental car step will he given the same rise as the ordinary steps.

A still further object ot the invention is to provide automatic mechanism ttor projecting and retracting a supplemental step relative to ordinary car steps, and to turnish novel. means for holding the step Vin projected position and for releasing such mechanism in making the retraction.

ln the accompanying drawings forming),

part of this application: .Figure l is a perspective view showing the application of the invention with the supplen'iental step projected. Fig. 2 is a. rear View showing the supplement al step projected in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on the line ale-a?, Fig. 2. Fig. d an enlarged section on the line zj-y, Fig. l. Fig. 5 a detail perspective view showing the spring catch and hand leverj partly broken away. Fig. (3 is a detail j )erspective view otl the cateh covering` plate and trigger 'for operating the catch.

The same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the several views ot' the drawings.

rl`he platform l and the steps 2 shown in the drawings are of the ordinary form. em ployed on railway cars. The supplemental step 3 is hung from the steps Q by means of hangers -t working through keepers 5, and the step 3 is retracted by means of a pair oi spiral springs G connecting the step with the under side of the platform l. The step il has a sliding bar 7 attached to it at S, and such bar works in edge-grooves ot' a pair ot' guides 9 attached under the steps 2 and to the platform.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1969.

fatentetl Feb. .22, 1910.

Serial No. 523,346.

The mechanism tor operating the l'rar i' iu projecting the step 3, consists ot a lever It), pivoted to one side ot the steps 2 at ll, and extending through a loop l2 on the bar l, and through a slot l?) in the other side ot the steps 2; and a hand lever lll. loosely fnlerumed to the tree end ot the lever l0 so as to permit lateral movement oit' the hand lever according to the movement ot' the lever 10. 'lhe hand lever is provided with a notch 1st, and extends through a slot l in a projection it; ot the platform l, and through a cover-plate 17, hereinafter more particu- Yla-.rly referred to.

'.lhe means l'or holding the step 3 in projected position consists ot a catch 1S controlled hy a spring 1t), which, with the catch, is seated Ain a cut-out or cavity in the top ot the plat'lorm projection. The catch is pivoted at Qt). and is pressed into engagement with the hand lever by the spring it), so that when the hand lever is pushed downwardly to .such an extent to project the step 3 into proper position. the catch falls into the notch lll and holds the step 3 in projected position.

in order to expeditiously release the hand lever and permit the IspringsI ti to auton'latically retract the step El, l provide the cover plate 17 with a spring trigger 21, having a wedge-shaped prong Q1 working through a slot 2") in the plate '17, and in the slot 15, and said plate is secured in place by screws 23. To dislodge the catch from the notch. the trigger simply depressed so that the prong thereof engages the edge ot the catch and 'forces it out of the notch.

It will he, seen that the trigger and catch do not interfere with the pushing of the hand lever downwardly :for operating the lever lt), and slide-har 7 in projecting the step 3; that the step 2? is projected on the same angle or in the saine plane with the steps Q, and may be given the same rise as the steps 2; and that the invention may be applied to any ordinary car plat'torm, and be ope 'ated in connection with the usual ear steps.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination, with a supplemental step for railway cars, hangers slidably connected to the sides of ordinary car steps and attached to the supplemental step, a pair of guides fixed to the under side of the llt) steps, and a bar slidable between the guides and attached to the top of the supplemental step, of means for operating the step comprising a lever connected to the bar and pivoted to one side of the steps, and extending across the steps and through the other side thereof, a hand lever fulcrumed to the cross-lever and spiral springs attached to the under side of the steps and to the top of the supplemental step for retracting it.

2. The combination, With a supplemental step for railway cars, hangers slidably connected to the sides of ordinary steps and attached to the bottom of the step, a pair of guides having edge grooves and secured to the under side of the steps, a bar Working in the grooves and attached to the top of the step, and a loop on the bar, of a level' pivoted in one side of the steps and extending through the loop and through the other side i ot' the steps for sliding the bar, a hand lever fulcrumed to the said lever and having a notch, spiral springs for retracting the step, and means for holding the step projected comprising a spring controlled catch for engaging the said notch.

3. The combination, With a hand lover for operating a supplemental car step, and having a notch therein, and means connecting the lever With such step, of means for controlling the movement of the lever, comprising a spring controlled catch engaging the notch, and a spring trigger adapted to engage the catch to force it out of the notch.

ln Witness whereof l hereunto 'sett my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

DOCK FRANKLIN LEMON. Witnesses G. l-. LANDIss, J. S. VOODRING. 

